Whether you’re a gardening beginner or just want more weekends free from plant chores, there are plenty of ways to create a low maintenance garden. By choosing the right plants and using the right tools, you can have a lush and beautiful garden with less effort.
Try these tips for creating a low maintenance garden of your own:
Lose the lawn
One of the best ways to begin your low maintenance gardening practice is to get rid of your lawn. Lawn maintenance takes a tremendous amount of time and resources you could spend on other things.
If you don’t want to lose the lush greenery, there are plenty of sustainable lawn alternatives you can plant for the same effect and zero effort. Some of the best low maintenance ground cover options include clover, moss and the flowering creeping charlie.
Pick perennials
Perennial plants are an excellent choice for low maintenance gardening. Perennials only need to be planted once and will return every year on their own with limited maintenance.
Some of the best flowering perennials for easy gardening include Shasta daisy, coneflower, perennial geranium and catmint. For a non-flowering perennial, try planting hosta and ornamental grasses. Native plants will also be easy to care for, as they naturally adapt to your local climate.
Mulch for moisture retention
Watering your garden is definitely a time-consuming chore, but it doesn’t have to be. One of the best ways to reduce the time and effort spent in your garden is to protect soil moisture with mulch.
By adding a hefty layer of natural mulch, you’ll help the soil hold on to the moisture from your last watering session. This leads to happier plants, more leisure time and less water waste. Mulch will also help suppress weeds and keep pests away, removing two more gardening chores from your list.
It’s possible to have a beautiful garden without spending all your spare time caring for it. With these low maintenance gardening tips, you can truly have it all.
About the Author
Marsha Charles
Consistent top listing and selling agent receiving Chairman's Club award for superior sales achievement almost every year while associated with Preferred Properties, Inc. Consistently receive the International Presidents Premier award for sales volume since joining Coldwell Banker Realty and ranked in the top 1% of agents in Connecticut and Westchester County. In 2021 I received the International Society of Excellence award for sales volume in excess of $100,000,000. I have been named a Top Five Sales Agent for customer satisfaction since 2010 (longer than any other agent in Connecticut) and listed in Connecticut Magazine. Named one of the Top Agents in Connecticut by Real Trends since 2018.
I work with sellers and buyers and also have a strong understanding to needs of those who are relocating . Background and experience in advertising, public relations and photography offer creative and innovative marketing plans for sellers.
Realtor designations include: Graduate Real Estate Institute, Certified Residential Specialist, Certified Residential Marketing Specialist, and Pricing Strategy Advisor. Served as President of New Canaan Board of Realtors (two terms), Director (three terms) and currently serve on Professional Standards Committee. Named Realtor of the year by the New Canaan Board of Realtors in 1994and again in 2022.
Married and mother of other of four children who attended and graduated from the New Canaan School System, Member of New Canaan, Darien, Greenwich and Statewide MLS systems. Areas covered include New Canaan, Darien, Greenwich, Rowayton, Norwalk, Wilton and all of lower Fairfield County.
